Claire's Story
by ThatOneMusicalGirl
Summary: A girl from the city moves to the country to find out it's a little more than she bargained for. Will she be able to live in the country or will she move back to the city? Rated T for later scenes. Claire x ?
1. Chapter 1: Revelation

Disclaimer: CHARACTERS ARE NOT MINE! I just make them do stuff that wasn't done in the game. :3 Enjoy!  
_

Claire flopped down on her twin bed in her apartment, blonde hair flying in all directions as she landed. For minutes she stayed there, thinking, contemplating, pondering, wondering... all for when something would change. She had been to college now, and was now a 21 year old receptionist for a chiropractor's office. Day by day she went to work, greeted clients, opened and changed files and X-rays, and checked the internet. Day by day she did the same old thing in the same old way. She was forcibly polite and bored out of her mind. Her friends from college had all moved on to do what they wanted to do.. but Claire hadn't known, so she settled on being.. well.. what translated into a chiropractor's receptionist.

Claire lifted her head off of the bed and brought her arms under her chin. Her blue eyes wandered around her plain white walls and searched for something that wasn't there. She knew her friends were probably out finding cute guys to be an item with, but she just didn't have the time or the will. Claire moved her arms and flopped her head down on the bed once more.

"When will my life begin?" Claire questioned.

Then the phone rang. Claire lifted her head and groaned. She crawled further up the bed and flopped down on the pillow, lifting the phone off of the receiver and putting it to her ear, she listened for a split second. It was a telemarketer. Claire hung up and sighed before getting off of her bed. What was she missing? She had trained for a job and she'd gotten a job. She was living successfully in her apartment and supporting herself without having to get payment from the government. So what was she missing? She didn't need a guy in her life right now, they just made things too complicated. She had recently broken up with her college boyfriend of three years. She was just fine living on her own and she would prove it.

Claire walked into the kitchen and grabbed a stalk of celery out of the fridge. Her puppy was asleep beside its food bowl, it's little belly getting a little bit chubby from too much food and lack of exercise. Claire sighed and laughed a little at Desmond's funny puppy movements as he slept. She had named him after her late boyfriend's parrot. Claire looked out of the second story window at the street below. Everybody looked like they were on a schedule. They were all so busy, weaving around each other in the streets. Out of all the times Claire had looked down on them, not once had they looked up. Nobody had ever looked at her. It made her wonder how many people in the big city were looking down, just waiting for somebody to look up and realize they were there.

Claire stepped away from the window and took a bite of her celery. It crunched throughout the empty apartment, jarring Desmond from his sleep momentarily. Claire spread the newspaper on the table and flipped through, looking for something interesting. This was what she resorted to now, reading the newspaper like an old married woman with nothing to do but clean the house. She sighed and flipped to the for sale section. It was there she found the very thing that would change her life.

'Hello!

Are you stuck in a boring job, in a boring routine? Day by day, do you do the same thing as everybody else, waiting for a call or a major event to change your life? Have you ever thought to yourself, 'Why is my life so boring?' 'What am I missing from my life?' or 'When will my life begin?'?

Well, we have the answer right here! The picture above this article is the picture of a small farm house in Mineral Town, a Town in the middle of the ocean that connects to Topicksville. This small farm house and the farm that comes with it is for sale! No longer will you do the same thing day by day! Are you willing to live where everything is different? Are you willing to live where you could learn everyone's name within a week and find not only a community that cares about you but an opportunity to raise animals, plant crops, forage for plants, learn medicine, and still have access to all the information you would living right where you are now? Well then you should live here. We will welcome you with open arms! If interested, call 429-102-2921.'

For a moment, Claire imagined what it would be like to run a farm. She would brush animals and water crops, make friends... She would be able to have a different day every single day of her life. She would be able to meet new people and get in tact with the country side. She would be able to grow her own food and cook it all by herself. She would be able to climb, to read, to socialize, basically do everything she did now in a better and more satisfying fashion. Claire finally realized that what she had been missing, was a way to become who she really was. She wasn't made for some desk job, she was made to be free. Claire looked over at the phone, her fingers itching to grab it... but she needed a rational reason first. She needed more than just a feeling if she was going to give up everything she had just worked four years for...

Claire looked over at Desmond, who was in the process of walking over to Claire for attention. She picked him up and looked down at the newspaper, taking another crunch of her celery as Desmond licked her face and squirmed happily. Claire looked down at Desmond seriously, and then felt her heart lift. A slow smile crept up on her face. In this apartment, she could only keep Desmond for about another month. If she got the farm...

It was as good a reason as any. Claire quickly ran over to the phone and made the most rash decision of her life. She had no idea what she was getting into...

"Hello?" Claire asked, "Yes, I'm here about the opening of the Farm House..."


	2. Chapter 2: New Arrival

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS! I just make them do stuff that wasn't done in the game. :D

Claire sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her eye for a brief moment before getting her eyes back on the road. The bumpy dirt of the winding mountain path had jostled her head for two hours. She was bad mood and not even Desmond's head sticking out the window could reverse it. As soon as she could she called about the ad. They said it was available, and without thinking, she took it. She mailed them money from her bank account and set to work on getting everything ready. She resigned from her post at work the next day, giving her two weeks notice. She gave the two weeks notice of moving to the landlord of her apartment to relieve herself of paying rent any longer. She had been packing her things all week, giving to hand-me-down stores what she thought she wouldn't use when she went to the farm, no, her farm, which was surprisingly a lot of things. All she really needed was a journal, a comforter set, her dog, work clothes, an alarm clock, and the rest of the money in her bank account. She had gotten the confirmation in the mail in a week, and promptly had a party to tell all of her friends the news. She gave them all the address of the farm, just in case they wanted to write... She would miss them all.

Claire had been winding up the mountain path for about two hours now, nothing but rocks and the occasional renewing green bush to please the eye. Claire sighed again and looked at her map briefly. There was only one way up the mountain; there were no shortcuts or airplanes to be taken. In fact, Claire had already driven sixteen hours to get this far, but she hadn't thought that driving up the mountain would take so long. Then again, it could have been her forced optimism after finding out that no flight came any closer to where she was headed than from the town she came from. Sixteen hours wrecked havoc on Claire's brain, and her sense of patience. She had tried turning on the radio to her favorite tunes, but she could only get AM stations that she couldn't understand, or that were boring as heck. She had gotten rid of her CD's, knowing that she probably wouldn't have the time for them any more. It was just Desmond, herself, and the pair of keys burning with the passion of the new life waiting for her.

Claire rubbed her eyes and yawned, keeping them trained on the road. When she got to her farm, she was going to sleep. She was only running on three hours herself. She had started her journey at eight o' clock last night so that she would arrive sometime before it got dark. Well, it was just past 2 o' clock now. Claire hoped she would be there soon. She was getting restless. She wanted to start her new life and get the hang of things. She wanted to meet those new people and take care of those new animals. But sixteen hours? Any longer and she would have given up. It was a stretch.

Finally, after Claire was just about to give up and start heading down the mountain, she was suddenly on a road going downhill. Claire slowed down to a crawl and looked around her. She was stunned. Around her was a field of white and yellow flowers. It was breathtaking. Claire stopped the old truck and got out, letting Desmond jump out behind her and frolick. He was happy as a clam as he pranced around the flowers. He quickly sniffed around the area, finding a discreet place to do his doggy business. Claire picked one of the white flowers and inhaled. The smell instantly relaxed her. She already felt better than she had in the city, even after driving sixteen hours to get here. Maybe it was the complete and total difference that made the flower smell so sweet. Desmond came prancing over to Claire with a stick in his mouth and Claire laughed taking the stick from him and throwing it into the truck. Desmond fell for the trick, and Claire climed back in the truck starting again down the hill.

Soon Claire was off of the moutain and into a miniature forest. Well, what she went through was probably a small part of it. She spied a cabin, and another road leading somewhere else, but the directions said to go straight. She resolved that she would explore later. Claire pulled the truck over a creaky wooden bridge and parked it behind what seemed to be a chicken coop. Claire smiled and got out of the car, letting Desmond out once more to run around. Claire giggled. Desmond looked much happier on the farm... this way she could keep him forever. Then, Claire looked around.

... It was an absolute dump. The chicken coop was in bad condition, along with what she could see of the house and what looked like a barn. The field was littered in sticks and stones, and there were weeds as far as the eye could see. Was it a trick? It had to be... this wasn't the farm from the ad! This was a complete mess that would take lots of money, time, and TLC that Claire was positive she didn't have. This... wasn't what she had in mind. Claire locked her truck, the keys in her pocket now weighing a thousand pounds. Her heart dreaded what was about to come next. It was her only home! She had quit her job, moved out of her apartment, said goodbye to all of her friends... for this? Even if she wanted to go back, she couldn't. The truck was almost out of gas and she doubted she could find any nearby. She had no more money... well, enough to buy her about a month's worth of food. Claire walked over to the edge of the field and pulled out one of the many weeds. This wasn't going to end well.

Desmond still pranced around happily, rolling in the untilled field like a pig would in mud. Claire was unamused, but there was still hope! If the key didn't fit in the house, then maybe it wasn't the same farm in the ad. Claire felt a little better, but she wouldn't know for sure until she tried opening the door. On her way to the house, Claire examined the land a little better. If somebody would have cleared the field, it was nice sized and could bring in a lot of money. The barn and the coop were in okay shape to hold animals, but they needed renovating badly, and extended if Claire would want enough animals to make a profit. Claire took a deep breath. The door was right in front of her now. Claire inserted the key and her stomach immediately sunk. It fit. Claire turned the lock and the door opened.

Inside was the most quaint little place she had ever seen. It was like a room in a bed and breakfast. There was a little TV already hooked up. Claire turned it on... there were only four channels. She turned it off and checked the rest of the room. The lights worked, and there was a table and two chairs. There was a bedside table, and a storage unit that had a whole bunch of rusty tools. There was a picture of a happy looking family hanging beside the door. Having nothing else to inspect, Claire looked at it a little more closely than she would have. There was an old man in a blue hat and overalls, with a huge grin on his face. Next to him was a little old lady with blondeish gray hair and a knowing smile. In front of them was their daughter, a young woman who was blonde with blue eyes, just like Claire. But, the young girl's face was a little more delicate. Claire found herself wondering what type of people it took to make this place prosper.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Claire walked over and opened it. There stood the young girl from the picture, now in her fifties. Claire was surprised at first and then smiled lightly.

"May I help you?" Claire questioned. The woman smiled.

"Yes, you may. My name is Sasha, and I used to live on this farm."

-  
To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 3: A Rich Poor Woman

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THESE CHARACTERS! I just make them do stuff that they don't do in the game. :3

Claire smiled and opened the door a little wider, stepping outside to view the woman a little better. They were about the same height, though Sasha was a little more frail from age. She was still very beautiful, her clear blue eyes still holding the excitement of a child's as she examined the girl who would be taking over the farm. Claire admired the woman's quaint blue dress and wondered where she had gotten it. Sasha looked like she had stepped out of one of Claire's story books as a child. There was always a kind woman that seemed to look simple yet beautiful at everything she did.

"I'm Claire." Claire said with a smile, "I was just admiring your picture in there..."

Sasha frowned. Claire was surprised at the sudden change in mood, so she tried to fix it.

"Is something wrong?" Claire asked, "You seem disappointed in something." Sasha shook her head lightly.

"Oh.. you just said that as if you weren't going to be staying here long. Are you going to put it back on the market? We've had about ten buyers in the last seven years, only to have them resell it as soon as they had it." Sasha explained, looking worried out at the land. "With you, it'll be eleven in seven... I'm just afraid that nobody is willing to revive the farm to its full glory. That's why I came down here today, to see if.. maybe.. somebody was determined enough to make this work."

Claire thought about the woman's words for a moment before sighing and scratching her head.

"Well, Sasha... I don't know if I can do it. It seems like a big job for just one girl to do. I guess I didn't think it through. I mean, I'm trained to be a receptionist, not a farmer." Sasha looked at the ground and sighed. The Claire smiled sadly, "But, I guess it's your lucky day. I bought this place, and it left me virtually penniless. So, I either revive this place or wander the country like a bum. The- My farm's looking pretty great about now."

Sasha looked up in understanding, a smile coming up on her face. One could tell she wasn't disappointed with Claire's answer. Sasha nodded, cleared her throat, and looked around.

"Well, welcome to Mineral Town then!" Sasha said, giving Claire a hug. "I know you may not have much right now, but farming is a big business, and relatively easy to do once you get started. I have my own job to do, so unfortunately I can't help you physically. But I can give you a couple things from the store." Sasha smiled excitedly. "I'll be back in about half an hour with some things. You can start putting away your things or weeding the field or whatever you like." Sasha waved goodbye and Claire did too with a smile.

"She's a nice lady." Claire said, a little surprised at her sentence. She had never met many kind strangers... despite her situation, Claire had to believe that things were getting better. She was getting some help from someone already. Though she didn't have much to her name, Claire was feeling richer than she had been in the city. Desmond was still rolling around in the field, happy as could be.

It only took Claire about twenty minutes to put all of her things away in the house. She had been weeding for about ten minutes when Sasha came back, and she was already tired. Claire wiped the sweat off of her brow and walked over to Sasha, giving a wave and a big smile. Sasha waved back and came over with a backpack on her back.

"Hello again!" Sasha said, "I've got a couple things for you." Claire nodded and Sasha beamed, taking off her backpack and handing it to Claire. Claire was surprised by its weight, the backpack wasn't empty. Claire opened it.

"Wow.." Claire said, "What is all this stuff?"

"Well," Sasha started, "I decided that if this next buyer was going to stay, I was going to help them get started." Sasha then pointed over to the Chicken Coop. "Let's go there first. Bring your bag please." Claire nodded and lifted the bag carefully onto her shoulder, the zipper securely in place.

Sasha opened the door to the Chicken Coop and Claire stepped inside. There was all sorts of scattered hay on the ground, and four different feedig bins. Claire noticed that the inside looked much better than the outside, and that it was tightly sealed without any holes in the sides or the ceiling.

"I had Gotz come and renovate the inside of all of your buildings. They didn't need much work at all, but I figured it was a little too much to handle with the field in the condition that it is. Oh, and I had the family over at the Chicken Store put a fertilized egg in your incubator just this morning. In a couple days, you'll have your very own chick!" Claire jumped up and down in excitement.

"Really! I'll have my own chick! That's great! Will it be cute and fluffy? Oh, when does it start laying eggs? How much does it eat? Does it like being outside?" Claire stopped when Sasha laughed and blushed. "Sorry, I got a little excited." Claire explained.

"No no, that's great." Sasha said, "I've never seen a buyer with your enthusiasm. I think you'll do quite well here." Sasha said earnestly. Claire nodded and took a big breath. Sasha continued. "I've also stocked your bookshelves with animal and field basics, you know, little how-to books. If you want to know how much certain crops sell for, or what you can make for food out of certain crops or ingredients, we do have a library for those sorts of things. There's also a couple training books for dogs. I noticed you had one rolling around out there."

Claire laughed. "Oh, that's my puppy, Desmond. He's a yellow lab... he's going to get pretty big! I just know he'll love it out here... I hope I can too." Sasha nodded and smiled, leading Claire out of the Chicken coop.

Out in the fresh air, a breeze came by as if to welcome Claire back outside. Claire inhaled and her spirit was settled. It was unsettled once more when she looked at the field again. Sasha had already done so much, but how was she supposed to clear this field by herself? There were some huge rocks in the field that she couldn't break with a lifetime's worth of hammer training.

"That back pack is great for foraging. I've actually set up an appointment with Zack to show you what you can forage for money. He'll also go over shipping with you later. It will be very helpful. Also, I've put some seeds in your bag. There should be three bags of turnip seeds and one bag of grass. If you grow the grass and cut it, you can put it in the animal silo and use it in the future if you plan to have cows or sheep." Claire listened intently, picking up what she could from Sasha's kind explanations. "I'll be back tomorrow," Sasha said, "I'll have a surprise for you in the afternoon after your appointment. Now, since you don't have any money, my family and I eat breakfast at seven o' clock sharp. I'll make sure to cook you something warm. Sound okay? I've put a town map in your bag. All the places are labelled, I live in the town market." Sasha said.

Claire fished the map out of her bag and found the market. Claire nodded and smiled.

"See you tomorrow then?" Claire questioned. Sasha nodded and waved goodbye. Claire did the same and put the map back in her bag.

After Sasha was gone, Claire put the bag in the house and grabbed a couple of the how-to books. There was a step by step guide on how to farm that she took out to the field. She grabbed her hoe, seeds, and watering can and hoped that she could finish by eight.

It was six o' clock by the time Claire got up and wiped the dirt off of her jeans. Before her stood three watered rows of turnips. They weren't planted the best, but they would grow. It wasn't bad for a first timer. Claire's stomach growled, but she was too tired to look for anything. She knew she had a couple things in her truck, but she didn't even want to move that far. She was exhausted.

"Desmond!" Claire called. Her puppy came running to her, his tongue hanging happily out of his mouth. "Time to go inside." Claire said with a yawn, picking up Desmond and bringing him inside. She closed the door behind her and decided she was going to bed early. Claire changed into her pajamas and then picked up her journal.

'Monday, April 12th

Today was my first day as a farmer... boy do I have a lot to learn...'

To Be Continued! :D


	4. Chapter 4: The Breakfast of Champions

Disclaimer: DEZE CHARACTERS NO MINE. ACTIONS MINE. THAT ALL.

Claire's alarm clock buzzed loudly into her ear, making Desmond and herself jump. Claire grabbed a hold of the clock in disbelief.

"12 Hours!" Claire questioned, "I slept for 12 hours!"

Claire jumped out of bed, Desmond laying his head back down on the bed as if to say 'This is too early, even for me.' Claire turned the lights on in the house and ran around, getting everything ready. She quickly changed out in the open and brushed her hair without a mirror, hoping that everything looked okay but extremely doubtful. By the time she had slipped on her work boots and slipped the back pack over her shoulder, it was already 6:30.

"Woah!" Claire said, "I need to get going... I'd better run." Claire pulled her map quickly out of her backpack and went outside, closing the door behind her. She went out the top entrance and started to run up the streets of the town, hoping that she wouldn't be late. She passed the blacksmith's shop and went into the upper part of town. She was getting tired again, her muscles ached from the little work she wasn't accustomed to doing yesterday. Claire made it to the library and turned right. There it was, the market. Claire quickly made her way over and quietly opened the door.

Inside was a room. It was one room filled with items that people needed every day for cooking, growing food, and foraging supplies. It was quaint, much like her house, but at the same time very refreshing from the huge supermarkets she'd visited many a time. It was all so different... She had never even heard of that brand of flour before. And was the bread baked fresh? It looked and smelled like it. There were powders spices for things that she had never heard of before. Claire picked up a package of curry powder. She had never heard of it in her life! What was it all used for? These were ingredients used by professional Chefs, and here they all were in the Mineral Town market. It was all so strange, in a good way. She heard movement in the back room and decided that the family probably didn't eat breakfast on a table full of seeds. Claire approached the back door and hesitated. Instead of opening the door, she put her ear up against it, just to make sure she was in the right place.

"Remember we have a guest coming in a couple of minutes." Sasha's strong voice easily made it through the door. There was a mumbled, soft reply from a lower voice that Claire couldn't make out. Claire knew now that it was the right place, but something made her wait. She was curious, and maybe she could listen to find out who else was inside.

"Claire was it?" Claire heard the voice of another woman besides Sasha, a lower voice that made it sound more mature than herself, but less than Sasha's. Perhaps it was her daughter. Or maybe a sister? She would know when she got inside, but Claire wouldn't take the chance of guessing now. There was a sneeze and a mumbled complaining that Claire couldn't make out again. They must have been a family... There was only three voices.. maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Claire put her hand on the knob, but withdrew it when another voice suddenly lifted out from under the door.

"Mom, I am so hungover it's not even funny." The woman's voice said, a clunk following that Claire imagined to be her head on the table. So, it was Sasha's daughter. And she was... hungover? Was there a place she could go to drink after work? She didn't usually but, if she could meet more people her age there.. She could always drink water. Claire listened for a reply, waiting now for an opportunity to go inside without making things awkward.

"Now Karen! I told you not to drink so much last night. Grin and bear it, we have a guest and I would like to make a good impression." Sasha said in a lecturing voice. Karen... Karen must have been her daughter. Karen groaned and the man's voice mumbled something again, this time sounding something along the lines of, 'listen to your mother, kare-bear' before sneezing once more.

Claire smiled and giggled silently to herself. 'What a funny family...' Claire thought to herself. It reminded her of her own before she left for college. Maybe if she hadn't gone to college... Claire snapped out of her thought pattern and knocked on the door. The moment had come. Nobody was talking just for the moment, everyone was calm. Except Claire. Claire was nervous beyond her imagination. She wondered what they would think of this city girl who had given up everything to start an impossible task. Every second seemed like an entire minute. What had Sasha said about her that wanted her to make a good impression. Had she come off as somebody that Claire didn't want to be? She hadn't been snobbish had she? Claire took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She waited for a couple seconds, and sure enough, Sasha opened the door and welcomed her in with a hug.

"Hello! Welcome! I almost thought you weren't coming!" Sasha joked. Claire laughed a little, relaxed and looked around. Decoration wise, this room wasn't that much different than the one room market had been. At the table sat two people. One of them had black hair and a black mustache. He looked a little sickly but still very handsome as he took a pill with a glass of water. The other person was who Claire assumed to be Sasha's daughter. She wondered if Sasha had been married before to a different man. Karen was a masculine girl. Claire could tell that she wasn't one to dress up. She had a welcoming smile on her face, despite the previously mentioned hangover, her vibrant yet mysterious green eyes holding what seemed to be a tad bit of friendliness behind the cloud of a long night. Claire nodded to both of them with a smile and was ushered to the table.

Sasha seemed to have outdone herself with breakfast. There were warm, delicious looking omelets on the table, four of them, all accompanied by buttered toast and grape jam. Cheese poured out the sides of the omelets and onto the plate. Claire's eyes got huge and her mouth watered. She was so hungry from not eating before she went to bed she had to restrain herself from pouncing on the omelet like a wild animal. Claire sat down at the table and was introduced to the family. As soon as introductions were over, everyone picked up their utensils and started eating. Claire took the first bite and had to restrain herself from groaning in pleasure. It tasted so good! Claire wondered how it was possible to cook so well with no preservatives, artificial flavorings and the like. Everyone else seemed to agree; Breakfast was especially delicious that day.

The breakfast seemed to go on as a normal breakfast would, despite it being Claire's first time at the table. They all talked and asked questions like 'How was your day yesterday?' and 'Is it weird living on a farm?'. Claire was delighted to answer and ask to her heart's content. They had a few laughs and Karen threw a few glares at her parents, but that made the breakfast seem that much more genuine. It was like... a home away from home.

"So, do you have a special guy back in the city?" Karen questioned playfully. Claire shook her head.

"Nope. I'm single and that's the way I like it. I used to have a guy but... we just weren't right for each other. It was too bad it took us three years to figure it out." Claire explained, finishing up her omelet.

"Oh, that's too bad." Sasha said, rising from the table and clearing the dishes, "But we've got plenty of guys here to choose from!" Claire and Jeff laughed, Karen downing a glass of water.

"I always wanted to go to the city. You know, go to college, find a nice guy and settle down. I've heard they have a great bar scene in the city." Karen said with a small sigh, "I mean, this place is nice and all, but the bar always has the same people and the same conversations and the same music. Not to mention I've always got Rick trailing behind me. He's been my friend forever, and I can't decide whether he's trying to make a move or really just that desperate to have one friend." Karen got up from the table and took the glasses over to the sink.

"Honey, that's not nice," Sasha said to Karen, "You know Rick likes being around you. He's a good guy, why don't you just give him a chance. Maybe flirt with him a little, he'll get the message eventually. I know it took your father awhile to realize it, but just be persistent."

"But I don't know if I want him to be more than a friend. He's just... I dunno... weak."

As Sasha and Karen continued their conversation by the sink, Jeff and Claire were left sitting at the table.

"Is she always like this towards..." Claire tried to think of the guy's name, but it escaped her.

"Rick?" Jeff questioned, "Oh yes. She made friends with him a long time ago, and he's been like a puppy dog ever since. Karen is very independent and a very strong young woman I'm proud to call my daughter, but Rick is the opposite."

"Clingy?" Claire questioned. Jeff laughed and rose slowly from the table.

"Yes, I suppose you could put it like that." Jeff answered, attempting to take the silverware from the table.

"Oh, let me help with that." Claire said, taking the silverware from the table so Jeff could sit down.

Claire spent about an hour having breakfast and cleaning up with Sasha's family. By the time she was finished, she was positive she had made a friend, maybe two, maybe three. As Claire made her way back home at seven, she was grateful that she would start her journey with a push of support.


	5. Chapter 5: Distracted Dolly

Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are not mine. They are owned by Natsume. I do however make them do things that aren't done specifically in one game or another, which is why you're reading this. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!

Claire was still smiling as she arrived back on her farm. She felt great, and full as she looked around. The field was still a mess, but the few plants she did have needed watering, and that was top priority. She was about to fill her watering can before she heard whining coming from inside of her house.

"Desmond!" Claire said, running over to her door. She opened it and out charged Desmond, who ran across the field in a matter of seconds to find a place to do his business. Claire giggled and closed the door to her house. She went over to her plants and watered them all one by one. The job was easier than it had been yesterday, but it made her muscles relive the pain they had been going through for awhile now. Claire sat down as she was finished and watched Desmond roll playfully around in the countless weeds that littered her field. Claire sighed. There would be no making money with crops on a large scale, at least not yet.

It wasn't long after Claire had started her futile attempt at pulling weeds once more that Sasha came walking into the entrance of her farm, cheeks obviously flushed from the hurry. Claire heard the steps behind her and turned around, happy to see that Sasha had come. What was her appointment today? Who was it with? When was it? She figured that was what Sasha was there for, and dropped the tenth weed she hand pulled out of her hand. There was now a small patch of ground that looked like it could grow crops, but compared to the rest of the field, it was a miniscule victory that would be lost in about three days if maintenance wasn't kept.

"Hi Sasha." Claire said, glad to give up the droll task of pulling weeds from the dirt, "I have an appointment, right?" Sasha quickly walked over to Claire and nodded.

"That's right, a scavenging appointment with Gotz. He lives in the woods, and he volunteered to help you out a little." Sasha nodded, "But you're almost late! You better run! You'll find his cabin if you take the path into the woods at the bottom of your farm and turn left when the path does. Be careful not to fall!" Sasha said. Claire nodded and took off running. Now she knew why Sasha had been flushed; Claire had almost missed an opportunity to get some cash flow for her property going.

Claire waved back to Sasha before she crossed the bridge and then took off once more into the dense shading of the forest.

As Claire entered the forest, she stopped in her tracks. Everything was so beautiful! To her left, the beautiful leafy trees seemed like giants above her head. The sunlight shone through a couple places the leaves hadn't covered, making a queer pattern of light and dark greens on the forest floor that danced around her feet. The birds sang beautiful melodies and the insects sang along, making the forest seem more alive. Claire found herself wondering if the forest was magical, or maybe even enchanted before remembering her task.

"Almost late, right." Claire said to herself, bolting down the path once more. Claire followed her instructions from Sasha to a T, and ended up in front of a very rustic cabin. It looked right at home in the forest, being made of wood itself. There was a large pile of lumber on the side of the house, expertly cut no doubt. Claire noted that she could smell the freshly chopped wood from the path, and that it was a smell that she would love to have around often. From the outside, the windows and the door made the cabin look rather cheery, and she was almost tempted to look inside, had she not remembered somebody was probably already watching for her out the same window. Claire stepped forward towards the house and knocked on the cabin door, unprepared for who would be coming out.

The door swung open on the inside and out stepped the most intimidating man Claire had ever had the pleasure of knowing. Standing at six foot four inches, Gotz was tall and very muscular. His biceps rippled under his plain T-shirt, even without flexing. His beard seemed to be the grand insignia of mountain men everywhere, and it hid his jaw shape, though Claire suspected it was very strong. At first, she couldn't tell his age. She guessed he would have been late twenties, before the lines around his eyes had betrayed him. He must have been at least late thirties, if not early forties. Claire felt like a child standing before this man who seemed to resemble the strength of the trees themselves. Finally, Claire gathered her courage to speak, trying not to cower under him but failing, her shoulders obviously tensed.

"Are y-you Gotz?" Claire questioned, mentally cursing herself for stuttering. Gotz closed the door behind him.

"Yeah, I am. Who's asking?" Gotz said. His voice was medium in tone, but gruff, as if he hadn't used his voice in days, or was just coming down with a cold. Paired with his cold brown eyes staring down at her, she got the illusion that it was meant to be threatening. Was this the right house? He had said he was Gotz, right?

"I'm the n-new farmer." Claire cleared her throat and stood up tall. "My name is Claire. I'm here to learn about scavenging." Claire thought for a moment before affirming the answer in her head. That was it. Scavenging. Gotz stood there for a moment and then laughed a jolly but still slightly gruff laugh.

"You've come to the right place then!" Gotz said, patting Claire on the back. Claire was caught off guard; the pat almost knocked her flat on her face. She laughed it off nervously before standing up straight again.

"Okay," Claire said, "Let's go."

Enjoy! :) Don't forget to read and review!


	6. Chapter 6: The Life of a Mountain Man

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just give them a voice of their own.

Claire relaxed more and more as the trip went on, realizing that even though Gotz was a big man, he loved to laugh. In fact, he loved the nature around him and wished for no harm. It was clear that he didn't think the same about people.

"You know, several years ago there were plenty of Mountain Men, all living off the land. We lived in harmony, taking what nature provided at a rate that didn't hurt the earth at all. Now I hear news about bombs and people cutting down trees forests at a time for paper. It was much simpler when we lived off of the land. Now people just live in metal cages." Claire thought about this for a moment.

"Yeah.." Claire said distractedly. Slowly she began to realize he was right. Maybe not as extensive as all becoming Mountain Men, but what if the whole world was more like the town she had already started to grow fond of? Cobblestone streets, one car, a group of people basically living off of the land and nothing else. There were no computers or airplanes here. There was just a group of people, content with the lives they were living. Claire looked around. They had only stepped behind Gotz' house and things still seemed completely... open. Her apartment had never felt like this, not even the city park had felt like this. Everything in the city had been like a prison. Her apartment was her own tiny box of torture, distracting her from the wonderful things she could have been doing. The park had been a giant metal hamster wheel she used to walk her dog. Her job had been solitary confinement, with the occasional visitor.

"I guess you're right." Claire said. She looked around at the big forest and then back at Gotz, who was obviously scouting for something she couldn't see. She was about to get a lesson in herbs, but before she did, she had a question.

"Gotz, doesn't being a Mountain Man out here get lonely? You're a handsome fella, why are you out here alone?" Claire questioned. She was surprised when the question seemed to throw the big man off guard. He straightened up quickly and then relaxed, continuing his scouting with half the effort he had been. Memories seemed to flash by his eyes at the speed of light. A fair woman with black hair and kind brown eyes, a beautiful little girl with brown hair and her father's strong personality. Picnics, lessons, adventures, and love. It was almost overwhelming. Gotz had to clench his hand into a fist to fight the tears away. Claire flinched, but Gotz only raised his hand to his mouth to clear his throat.

"I uh-" Gotz started, "It was, before I was married." Claire smiled warmly, listening. Maybe he was embarrassed by talking about feelings for his wife. She could understand that. She was about to interject, but Gotz went on.

"We had a lovely daughter. Celeste we called her. She was born at night and loved the moon. No, it wasn't lonely for awhile. But, being a Mountain Man in dangerous. When it storms, we can't get anywhere. Celeste was sick with the fever, and her mother was too. Myra still insisted on staying up at all hours to take care of Celeste with me. It was a wonder I didn't get sick as well. I was out to get medicine from Zack before the Storm hit full blast. Zack wanted me to stay, but I couldn't. I tried to make it through town, but as soon as I hit the path to the forest, it was completely blocked. I couldn't get through if I wanted. So I went back." Gotz stopped looking for the herbs and then sat down on a tree stump. Claire did the same on one nearby, so she could listen.

"It was three days before the storm cleared up enough for me to get through. But, by the time I reached the house they.." Gotz couldn't seem to say it. Claire was still, tears brimming from her eyes as well. Claire sniffed and wiped her eyes as Gotz tried to go on. He stayed tremendously strong throughout the whole story. Claire wondered how his face could remain so gruff.

"They looked so peaceful on that bed together. Celeste was all cuddled up to Myra, as if they were only sleeping. I think that's how they both went. Myra must have known I couldn't make it back in time. She left me a letter, telling me that it was okay and about how much she loved me and always would." Claire was full on crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks in streaks. She crossed her arms to keep her composure. She would have been fine but... it was so sad. She hadn't expected the man to ever have been married when he opened the door, but he had found love and lost it.

"I buried them in the yard." Gotz said, "It took me twice as long since it was winter, but I had enough shovels to do the job. Wouldn't you know it, the very spring after I buried them, two trees had sprouted. One with calming purple flowers, the other with a bright yellow. They've grown bigger since then. It's been a couple years, I haven't kept track, but I remember every year on the day, and then as a reminder it's coming up again, purple and yellow flowers will fall in my yard around September 20th, a couple days before the first snowfall."

There was silence in the air now. Claire was caught looking up at the trees, wondering which two they could be. There were no flowers on the trees yet, but she knew that once she found them, they'd be side by side. Claire sighed and wiped her face for a final time.

"I'm sure they're in a better place now." Claire said with a smile over at Gotz, "The forest can't be lonely if you always know they're right in your backyard huh?" Gotz pondered this for a moment before getting up. He smiled over at Claire and nodded.

"Yep. I reckon I always feel them around."

After a few hours, Gotz had taught Claire all she needed to know about scavenging. She was taught what could be shipped in every season, and what it looked like. Gotz always said go for the bamboo sprouts in the spring. They were a good source of food, and if she had plenty of that for the day, she could always ship it out for a pretty penny. Claire went over the grass types in her head once more, noting which ones were important for what, and which one was poisonous and shouldn't be eaten. He went over mushroom hunting in the fall, and berry hunting in the summer, which would be coming up as soon as she turned around. Claire had finished off the last bamboo shoot in her pack and rubbed her stomach.

"They're pretty filling too!" Claire said, "They do taste kind of funny though. I don't know, I'm just more used to instant mac and cheese." Claire laughed and Gotz snorted, Claire already knowing his stance on previously packaged food due to the previous comparing the city to a cage comment. Claire was standing a couple yards from the entrance to her farm.

"Well," Claire said, "Thanks for everything. The scavenging tips, the story, the mini-tour of the forest, I'll never forget it." Gotz nodded and crossed his arms.

"Just doing the right thing. Nobody here should be left to fend for themselves! Not with that disaster up there." Gotz said with a chuckle. Claire laughed along with him.

"Yeah, well, it's time for me to head back up to that disaster." Claire said with a smile, "I'll visit you soon. I promise, as soon as I learn how to cook something decent, I'll bring it to you. You can't live off of bamboo shoots without wanting something better all the time." Gotz scratched his head.

"That's mighty kind of you." Gotz said with an awkward smile, "Stop by for a visit any time, but if you don't want to help me work, it isn't a wise idea to talk to me when chopping wood." Claire gave Gotz a thumbs up and he smiled, turning around and heading back towards his cabin.

Claire started walking up to her farm with a smile on her face. She had made a friend today, and she still had time left to spare! But as Claire journeyed closer to her farm, there was nothing that could have prepared her for what was coming next.

Hey! That's the end of chapter six! I'll have another one coming your way soon! Don't forget to read and review!


	7. Chapter 7: The Men of Mineral Town

Disclaimer: They're mine! All mine! *maniacal laugh* No, just kidding, they're not. However, they are little puppet people who I make do things. Enjoy. :]

Claire stepped onto her farm and looked at her field, only to see seven men at the end of the field getting rid of the last rock. Claire's hands flew up to her mouth. Her entire field had been completely cleared. Every rock had been moved into a pyramid formation at the very corner of her farm. The larger rocks and tree stumps had been smashed and chopped. Her field was completely clean. The seven men were sweating up a storm, all in work clothes and breathing heavily. Was this why Sasha was in such a hurry to get her off of her farm? Stunned, Claire took a couple steps forward before stopping. There wasn't a single weed in sight. The land was clean and ready to be worked for crops. There was no way she could work it all right now, she barely had enough energy to water the crops she had! But she would get stronger. Claire felt the land beneath her fingertips. It was warm and alive beneath her fingers. She got up and looked to examine the hard working men that had accomplished all of this in a mere four hours.

There was an old man with gray hair that had his shirt off. He had abs of steel, and seemed to be doing a lot of the work and the supervision. His face was covered with sweat, and as he carried along a hammer that glinted blue in the sunlight, Claire couldn't help but wonder if he was a real dwarf from one of the countless TV shows or video games she had seen. Even his voice sounded dwarf's voice, especially when he barked out orders. He was extremely muscular, and Claire wondered if he could touch his shoulders before another man caught her eye. As the dwarf barked orders at one particular man, Claire changed her focus to him. This dreamy man, who looked around her age, had a head of mildly orange/yellow hair with a pair of focused and almost scary blue eyes. Sweat soaked through his shirt and his jeans looked uncomfortably hot as he turned to keep doing his job. His eyes were still focused on the stones around him, this time with determination.

Another man clad in brown passed in front of the orange haired one, and Claire's eyes changed focus. His shirt was brown, his pants were tan and his shoes were brown, making Claire wonder both if he had no money for brighter clothes and why he wasn't collapsed on the ground from heat exhaustion. He moved the rocks around with ease. He seemed very happy to be working this day, but behind the happiness in his eyes, Claire could see a hint of sadness, as if he would already be sad to leave. Claire heard an 'Ow!' shouted by the pyramid, following some mumbled curses which drew her attention to a weaker looking man. He had taken his shirt off, probably to prevent heat stroke. Unlike the others, he wasn't muscled in any way, but walked much faster. Claire could tell this wasn't his forte. As he recovered from his mishap, he pushed his big round glasses up closer to his face and moved on.

Claire, still watching the pyramid, was surprised at the ease with which the next man did his work. He moved carefully yet swiftly, giving off a grace that surpassed the others by thousands and making his cool brown eyes seem even cooler. As he set down the rock on the pyramid, he took a deep breath and moved his shiny black hair out of his face. His calm brown eyes came up to meet hers. Claire's eyes locked on. For a moment, she forgot everything she was doing and just stared back. Suddenly, a voice snapped her out of it.

"Hey! You're here!" Claire was startled and pulled her eyes away from the black haired man just in time to see Karen approach. "Pretty great, huh? This place cleans up real nice." Claire laughed and looked out at her farm. It looked a thousand times better than it had before. All of these people had come to help, and she hadn't even asked. She assumed Sasha had been behind it all. Maybe she had been saving up favors for years in order to get everyone to come and help.

"Yeah, it's pretty great." Claire said, "I didn't think this field would have been cleaned in a million years..." Karen stood there for a second, taking it all in before she couldn't wait anymore.

"So, you probably want to know who everyone is right?" Karen questioned. Claire could tell it had been awhile since she'd gotten to talk about boys with another girl. Claire looked back over to the seven men, and then back at Karen.

"Well duh! Most of them are gorgeous." Claire replied, looking back at the men who had all resumed work by that point. This time she pointed a blonde man who was a little older than the rest, but still very good looking. He was working hard but always smiling and talking to the guys around him. The last man was tall tan and burly, carrying around the big rocks that the others couldn't carry, like it was his job to carry large items everywhere. That was all seven men, all able bodied and helping out despite what they might have been doing.

"Alright then!" Karen said, "See that one with the glasses? That's my friend Rick. He's been my friend forever, but please, feel free to take him off of my hands any time." Claire laughed. "No," Karen said, "I mean it. Please. I have things to do and places to see and he's always there! But that's alright. He's good company most of the time." Claire nodded and then looked through the workers.

"Who's the one with the blonde hair? He seems to get along with everyone." Claire said, pointing out the man who was now chatting with the gray haired man.

"Who Carter? Oh, he's the priest. He does get along with everyone. He's really generous and loves kids. He doesn't really seem to pay much attention to females as more than friends though. He's got an obligation to the Harvest Goddess. Or, that's what I think. I don't know, maybe he's just not attracted to anybody. He's 28, and I think he came here from the city. Mom said he started here as a young priest, and that people have always loved his sermons." Karen explained. Claire nodded.

"He looks so much happier than the rest of them." Claire noted. Karen nodded.

"Yep, never been tied down, always looking up." Karen laughed, "It's a wonder he hasn't floated away."

Claire inspected the crowd again, her eyes resting on the orange haired boy who was still too focused on his work to notice she had arrived.

"What about him?" Claire said, pointing him out. Karen looked closely and then made a sound of disapproval. Claire looked over to Karen to explain. Karen saw her stare and sighed.

"That's Gray." Karen said in a bored tone, "He just turned 21. So far, he's just way too focused on what he's doing. He's his grandfather's apprentice. His grandfather is the dwarf man over there, see? Well, anyway, Gray is training to be a blacksmith and his grandpa is waaaay too hard on him, so when he's not working, he's skulking around, and when he's not skulking, he's working. Well, and going to the library. I think he's got a thing for Mary, but it's so hard to tell with those two. Sometimes I think he's just ready to snap and explode, so be careful if you're having your tools renovated." Claire nodded, now being able to recognize the frustration etched deep into his face. Karen looked around and spotted another boy of interest.

"Oh!" Karen said, "See the guy in brown?" Claire nodded.

"Yeah, I saw him earlier. His hair is so luscious." Claire said, taking a hold of her own. It was soft, but it didn't look as good as the boy in front of her. Karen laughed at Claire's comment and explained.

"That's Cliff," Karen started, "He's new in town. He moved here about six months ago, looking for a job. Rumor says he's just about out of money, but nobody here has a job for him yet. I wonder how long he can hold on for before he has to go back to his old town. He's never really told anyone where he's from, I wonder if he just wanders from town to town. He's too distracted looking for work to fraternize... I think. I've never tried. Wait... maybe I have. I don't know. I don't remember half of the things I do when I'm drunk." Claire laughed at her comment and Karen cleared her throat.

"I'll have to go drinking with you sometime," Claire said, "I think it'd be funny." Karen snorted.

"I think you should too. Rick gets it in mind that you have to have deep conversations when you're drunk so you tell the truth. I just wanna have some fun, not reveal my deepest hopes and fears in a lapse of mental judgement." Karen sighed, then pointing out Zack.

"That's the shipping guy. You know, the big buff one. He's totally crushing on Rick's mom, but Rick's father has been gone for years trying to find the perfect medicine to heal his mom." Karen said with a sigh, "I don't hear the end of it... Rick's really sad that his father's gone, and really over worked too. I kind of pity the guy." Claire looked to the seven men again who had finished the pile and were now talking in a group. She found the black haired man again and found him looking at her. She blushed and looked away, turning to Karen.

"I have to know, who's the black haired guy? Please tell me he's not married." Claire said, crossing her fingers and closing her eyes tightly. Karen laughed.

"Wow, developing a crush already? Well, you better stop. That's the doctor. He's Dr. Tim Robins.. Don't ever call him Tim. He's really professional... are you sure he's your type? He's super mature, even though he's only 24. He's smart, handsome, AND kind. But... because of the way he is, everyone thinks he'll get married to his receptionist." Claire dropped her arms and looked wide eyed at Karen.

"What?" Claire said, looking over at him again, "But they're not even together? I have to have hope then..." The doctor looked up at Claire and smiled at her this time. Claire smiled back and waved shyly. Karen looked over at the doctor and then over at Claire. She laughed an astonished laugh.

"Wow... I think he's putting the moves on you. He won't even look me in the eye in town. In fact, he doesn't talk to many people besides Ellie and her family." Karen said, "Huh.. who knew. I wish some guy would put the moves on me. You know, besides Rick's incessant hinting that we should be more than friends."

Claire finally allowed herself to look away. She laughed at Karen and then kicked up a little dust from the ground. Karen smiled devilishly. Claire looked up and then turned wide eyed.

"Let's go meet them!" Karen said, grabbing Claire's hand and dragging her towards them.

"Let's go what!" Claire exclaimed. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, a group of seven guys she'd never seen before this moment starting right at her approaching. What would she do!

Well, that's chapter seven! I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to read and review!


	8. Chapter 8: A Mineral Town Welcome

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, I just write about them. And give them a deeper personality and text than they were initially fitted with. Teehee.

* * *

Claire tried to keep her composure as Karen dragged her towards the men, but she didn't succeed. She felt like she was being dragged into a cage of tigers. By now they were all staring. Carter and Zack were smiling. Cliff was waving, the doctor was staring, Saibara had his arms crossed, looking unimpressed with the new farmer. Gray was looking at the ground, his face hardened, and Rick was seemingly mystified by Karen's expression. Suddenly, a thought occurred in Claire's mind that she really didn't need to think.

_'My future husband could be standing right in front of me.'_ Thought Claire as Karen let go of her hand. Karen and Claire were now standing in front of the group of sweaty men waiting for the other party to speak.

"So," Saibara said, being the first one to talk, "You're the new farmer? I'm the blacksmith. Saibara's the name." Saibara held out his hand and Claire reached out to shake it, immediately regretting it. Saibara had a vicegrip on her hand. Claire felt like it would be pulverized any second if somebody didn't come to save her.

"I'm Claire." Claire stated with a smile. Saibara, satisfied with the shake, let go. Claire laughed nervously and grasped her hand delicately, wondering if it would be able to withstand six more shakes. Next in line was Rick. He was smiling a friendly smile and he held out his hand. Claire smiled and shook it.

"Hi Claire! I'm Rick," Rick explained, letting go of Claire's hand and pushing his glasses further up on his face again, "I run the Chicken Store with my Mom and my sister. Come by sometime! I can show you how to properly take care of any chickens you want to buy." Claire nodded and gave Rick a warm smile. Rick left and was too scared to talk to Saibara, so he went to relax by the pyramid of stones.

Next up was Cliff. He shook Claire's hand with a friendly smile.

"Hey Claire. My name's Cliff. I'm living at the inn. Oh, and I'm always looking for a job, so if you hear something be sure to tell me." Claire nodded and smiled.

"Okay, I'll keep my ears open." Claire said with a smile. Cliff went back towards Saibara and just stood, looking towards the Chicken Coop, wondering if Claire would ever need help on the farm. Carter came next with a friendly smile. He said nothing, only shook Claire's hand with a smile and left. Claire was slightly confused, and wondered if he had just forgotten the part about words. Carter went away from the crowd and stood about three yards away from Sairaba, just looking at the sky. Next in line was Zack.

"Hey Claire!" Zack said, making sure to shake Claire's hand lightly, "I'm Zack. I take everything you ship from your bin, and give you money for everything the next day." Claire nodded and smiled.

"That sounds great! I look forward to working with you." Claire said. Zack let go of her hand and went over to Saibara, being the only man that was not intimidated of him. They started talking. Next was Gray. He came up and hesitated giving Claire his hand. His hands were rough and calloused. They filled her small hand with warmth, his handshake firm but careful. Gray still stared at the ground, refusing to make eye contact. She wished with all of her heard that he would.

"I'm Gray... Saibara's grandson. I'm going to be a blacksmith, but I'm not good at anything. So, bring in your tools if you want, Grandpa's really good." Gray left without hearing Claire's reply. She wished she could help him. Gray turned around and then lifted his head, walking over to Cliff and starting a conversation to pass the time.

Finally, The Doctor came up. His black hair clung to his forehead. His smile was smart, reserved in a way. His brown eyes connected with hers fully. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he raised his hand. His eyes were cool and professional, with just the hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Hello, Claire was it?" The Doctor said, "I'm Doctor Tim, but please just call me Doctor." Claire shook his hand. "I have a clinic right next to the market. If you're ever feeling badly, don't hesitate to come in." Claire nodded. Even his voice was pleasing to the ear. It was low, but not too low, and incredibly smooth. Claire almost swooned on the spot.

"Uh-huh. I'll gladly go.." Claire said, trailing off. The Doctor laughed, losing his professional air for just a moment and smiling. Claire was awed by his change... she liked his laugh. "I mean.." Claire cleared her throat and reluctantly let go of The Doctor's hand, "It's nice to meet you." The Doctor lingered for a moment longer before walking over to Carter. Claire stared after him.

Moments passed as Claire watched The Doctor talk to Carter. She was only interrupted by Karen's over dramatic sigh.

"Oh," Karen said in a damsel in distress voice, "If only Doctor Tim would notice me so I could be his loving wife and the mother of his many children who will all end up being smarter and better than me so that I may be fulfilled in this long and dreary life as a farm woman." Claire nudged Karen with a small laugh and Karen nudged back. "I also noticed you have a bleeding heart. Take my advice, don't try to make Gray happy. He refuses to let anyone make him happy. I guess if you wanted the challenge of a lifetime. What you should really do is find Cliff a job if you want to do any charity. The guy really needs one. I pretended to be sick for a week so that Cliff could have a small job, surely you can do better." Claire raised her eyebrows at Karen.

"Wow, you can spot who I like so easily? You have a little thing for Cliff, huh?" Claire said, nudging Karen again. Karen snorted.

"Why do you think I want to ditch Mr. Rick? Cliff is totally my type, and he's so dreamy, don't you think?" Karen smiled and took a glance at Cliff. "He just doesn't seem to notice me... I can't even get him to sit down and have a drink he's so worried." Claire looked over at Cliff. He did seem a little worried, no matter what he was doing.

"Alright guys!" Claire shouted. All of the men looked up. "Thank you all for all of your hard work today! You don't know how much I appreciate it. You can all go home now, I look forward to talking with all of you when I get to explore the town a little more."

After plenty of goodbyes, waves, and second glances, everyone was left but Karen and Claire. Claire sighed and turned to Karen.

"Well, I suppose you have to go soon too." Claire stated. The sun was already dipping low into the sky. She had had a day full of meeting new people and learning, and she was just about exhausted. Karen raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not leaving without you." Karen said with a devilish smile on her face. Claire was about to say something before Karen cut her off.

"Nope! We're going to drink some water and change your clothes!" Karen laughed, "It's time to meet the regulars."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading. Don't forget to read and review!


	9. Chapter 9: Meet the Regulars

Disclaimer: Consider the characters unclaimed, yo.

* * *

As soon as the boys had left, Claire and Karen went into Claire's tiny house to look for some suitable bar clothes. Claire hadn't thought about going to the bar, which left her with plaid shirts, different colored overalls, and pajamas. After they had gone through everything, Karen sighed and crossed her arms.

"This is really all you have? I thought city folk wore... you know... non-farmers clothing." Karen said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. Claire laughed nervously, not wanting to scare away the only friend she had that was her age.

"Well, I did have a whole bunch of fashionable stuff. I just... ditched it." Claire paused, trying to explain her decisions before moving on. "I mean, I was going to be a farmer, so I got farmer's clothes! I didn't know I would be going to a bar! Especially not my second day here." There was scratching on the door that distracted her from the conversation. She knew it was Desmond, she wondered where he had been the entire time the guys were on the farm. Claire turned her head and walked over to let Desmond in, letting her mind wander.

In Desmond bounded, his target already acquired. He had heard the extra voice in the house, and he didn't want to be left out of the fun. In Desmond's mind, new people meant treats and/or attention, and both of those sounded great! The puppy ran straight towards Karen, jumped into her arms like she was its mother and snuggled her, never stopping his movement. His tail wagged a million miles per minute as Karen gave him all the attention he wanted. Karen laughed at the puppy and scratched behind his ear. Claire who had been watching laughed with Karen and then walked over to her window.

From here she could see the tree and her truck parked behind it. The back of the chicken coop seemed to make her truck seem even more out of place. Claire sighed. It was just a symbol of the way she stuck out. She was the truck, and Mineral Town was the farm. She wasn't really needed... not yet anyway.

"It's not as if it's the end of the world." Claire said, thinking for a moment before continuing, "Besides, the people I've met so far probably wouldn't care what I showed up to the bar in." Karen stopped petting Desmond and got up. She had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she looked Claire over from tip to toe. "Uhm... Karen? What are you..."

Before Claire could even finish her sentence, She was whisked out of her house, leaving Desmond all alone once more.

* * *

It was 9:00 at night. Claire and Karen stood side by side at the door of Doug's Inn, Karen looking confident and ready, Claire looking petrified. She had never done this before... She had been to bars in the city, but not one in the country. She had taken a few drinks, but not as many as Karen was saying she would. She had been forced to get dressed up for a concert, but not for a bar. Claire wondered for a moment how she had gotten into this. She was remembering the past few hours...

Karen had been dissatisfied with Claire's clothes selection, so she had brought Claire to her own closet. Claire was now dressed in low cut jeans that covered her feet, a plain white v neck t-shirt, and a jeans jacket that only went halfway down her back. Karen, thinking that Claire still looked too innocent, tied her hair in a low, messy side bun that was visible over her right shoulder. There were a few strands on the left side of her face that came loose, but Karen said it was perfect. Finally, Karen finished her off with light green eyelids and mascara to bring out the blue in Claire's eyes. A dash of lipgloss later, Claire was ready to go... well... as ready as she would ever be.

Karen put her hand on Claire's shoulder, snapping her out of the recollection of the last two hours. Claire looked over to Karen and smiled, nodding that she was ready to go. Karen nodded back and opened the doors. They were in Karen territory now.

The bar was well lit and loud despite the number of people inside. Everyone had a nice drink in front of them, whether it was beer or wine or something of their own making. There was only one waitress there, and she was too busy to notice the new arrivals. With orange hair, a bright smile, and the funniest country accent Claire had ever heard, Claire was immediately interested in who she was.. and if they would be friends soon as well. Karen ushered Claire over to the bar where Karen sat on the end and purposely sat Claire right next to her, so Rick couldn't.

"Just for safety." Karen whispered over to Claire. Claire raised an eyebrow and then allowed herself to laugh. A man with fiery orange hair stepped up to them from behind the bar, washing out one of his mugs. His mustache made him look like somebody who had stepped out of the 70's, but he seemed friendly nonetheless. He set his mug down between the two girls, catching both of their attentions.

"Good evening!" The man said with a smile, "Welcome back, Karen. Who's this young lady you've got with you?" Claire laughed and held out her hand.

"I'm Claire," Claire replied with a smile, "I'm the new farmer." Doug was taken aback for a moment, but he shook her hand anyway and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Welcome to my Inn!" the man said, "The name's Doug. Apparently nobody thought to tell me about the new farmer." Claire shrugged and then smiled.

"Well, I'm here aren't I?" Claire questioned with a smile, "It's nice to meet you Doug. Don't worry, I won't be a stranger!" Doug smiled and laughed, his previous thoughts erased by the prospect of another regular in his bar. Karen nodded to Doug and he nodded back.

"And what would you like to drink?" Doug asked Claire. She was about to say something, but Karen cut in.

"She'll have what I'm having." Karen said quickly, "I'm buying tonight." Claire laughed. Doug raised another eyebrow, wondering if another Karen was one too many.

"Coming right up." said Doug, "Why don't you introduce Claire here to some people? I'm sure Ann would like to meet you. Harris is out investigating something, but Basil should be here. You know Rick will be here soon. Gray and Cliff are upstairs chatting. You could probably coax them down to have a drink, but you know those two." Karen nodded.

"Yeah. Come on Claire, let's go meet the regulars!" Karen said, jumping off of her stool. Claire followed and then looked around the room. Everyone was enjoying their drinks after what seemed to be a long day of work. Claire smiled. She could get used to this. In the night time lighting, the bar looked lively and fun. The wooden floors were crude yet sturdy, and the tables were the same. Everyone in the bar was loud yet relaxed, nobody was too intoxicated.

First, Karen led Claire over to a table with a debonair black haired man with a mustache. He looked so much stronger than Karen's father. Dressed in an outfit not that much different than Karen's, Claire almost believed it was more believable for him to be Karen's father than Jeff. Right next to him was a lady smiling pleasantly in a blue dress. Karen and Claire sat down. Karen was about to say something before the woman in the blue dress started talking with no sign of stopping.

"Oh! Is this the new farmer everyone's been talking about? Sasha was right you are so pretty! Claire was it? Oh it must have been so hard moving from the city to that farm. That place was an absolute dump! How are you going to manage that huge plot all by yourself? Not to mention the animals too, you have to have animals sometime or another or else you won't ever restore that place to its full potential. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I mean, I've heard that farm used to be legendary! You have some pretty big shoes to fill! Oh, where are my manners? My name is Manna and this is my husband duke! We run the winery just next door. We make fabulous wine and then sell some of it to Doug. It's known all over the world! We make a pretty penny yes we do, but Duke drinks us out of our money more often than not right over here because I won't let him drink during his lunch break. We did have a daughter your age living here, but she moved out. Her name was Aja! We named the winery after her shortly after she was born. Oh she was beautiful! She had black hair and beautiful brown eyes. We thought for sure she was going to stay here and run the winery when Duke and I got too old, but she decided that she had a duty to her heart and went to live in the city. Oh I miss her so badly. But you know life goes on, she still calls from time to time. She's working in a Doctor's office now, I don't know why she couldn't have done that here, I'm sure Ellie can't do it all by herself all the time. I wonder when she'll come and visit? I know she doesn't have a husband or a fiancee. She doesn't even have a boyfriend, can you imagine? All of those boys in that city and she hasn't taken a liking to any of them? Oh Aja..."

Claire was afraid to say anything else. Karen knew that there were other tables, and that Manna would start talking again if they stayed, so she rushed Claire away, nodding to Duke in the process. Manna noticed they were going and said a goodbye before talking again to her husband in that rushed voice that reminded Claire of a bird.

"That was Manna." Karen said, "Not only does she almost never stop talking, she's also the gossip queen of the town, so be careful what you say or everyone might know it in a matter of hours." Claire nodded. At the next table, Saibara and another gentleman sat together. The gentleman's outfit was very outlandish, and Claire wondered if he was German... or maybe just a strange fellow.

Karen and Claire sat down at the table. Saibara nodded to both of them with a grunt and Basil looked at Claire.

"Why hello!" The man said enthusiastically, "You must be the new farmer! My name is Basil. I study the plants in this region because they're so fascinating! I have a couple books in my daughter's library. Oh, have you met Mary yet? She's a little shy at first, but I'm sure she'd love to meet you." Claire shook Basil's hand and smiled.

"I'll be sure to read the books later. They sound pretty useful. I'm Claire, by the way." Claire said with a smile.

"Well Claire," Basil said, "It's nice to meet you. If you ever need cooking advice, look no further than my wife. She's a great cook! But, there are others too. Doug is usually the winner of the cooking contest, but he's probably not willing to talk about cooking. Try Ann. Ann loves to cook, learns from her Dad, and knows a whole lot. She hasn't outcooked her father yet though." Claire nodded and smiled.

"That's good to know. I don't think my house is big enough for a kitchen yet though." Claire said with a nervous laugh, "I don't have the money or the wood to expand it yet."

"Oh, you'll get there in no time." Basil said, "There are so many untapped resources around here you can start to make money with. For instance, you can scavenge for food, but you can ship all of it too! There are some grasses that are even found on the beaches here that are worth money. I'm sure you could arrange flowers and sell them as well." Claire nodded.

"Okay, thanks! I didn't know there was so much to do here." Claire laughed. Basil nodded, took a swig of his drink , and then turned back to Saibara. They started conversing again and Claire and Karen got up. Claire sighed as they moved back to their seats at the bar, their drinks waiting for them.

"How many people are there?" Claire questioned. Karen laughed and took a swig of her drink. Claire followed, and managed to choke it down before coughing. Her cheeks were already turning a rosy color.

"What is this!" Claire said to Karen, "Pure alcohol? It tastes good but it's so..."

"Strong?" Karen finished, "I come here a lot. Gotta keep uping the ante if I'm going to keep drinking here." Claire raised her eyebrow and then took another sip of her drink. She was already getting dizzy. It was safe to say that she wasn't used to drinking. At least... not this much.

The door to the bar opened and in stepped Rick. Karen looked back to the door and then quickly looked back to Claire. Claire saw the look Karen gave here and she nodded. She wondered why she was so eager to get rid of Rick.

"Okay," Karen whispered, "He's totally going to ruin my buzz, so I'm going to persuade him to go home. You should go upstairs and convince Gray and Cliff to come downstairs and have a drink. Rick doesn't like Gray, it'll give him a reason to leave. " Claire nodded, but then stopped.

"Wouldn't that hurt Gray's feelings if he knew Rick was leaving because of him?" Claire questioned. Karen shook her head.

"Nope. One time, when we were all little kids, Gray kissed Popuri and Rick yelled at him. They've never been close since, even though it was Popuri who kissed Gray. Come to think of it, Popuri has kissed a lot of guys... nevermind, just go! Quick!" Karen ushered Claire off of her seat. Claire took one more drink and then set it on the bar before heading upstairs.

The lights were on in the hallway, as Claire climbed the stairs. She could hear the muffled voices of the people down below at the same time her footsteps echoed. The light was on under the second door, so Claire decided that was the room Gray and Cliff were in. Claire could feel the last drink of alcohol she had swimming through her system already. Her vision started to blur, just a tiny bit. The muffled sounds seemed to get further and further away every second. Claire made it to the second door and knocked.

After a couple moments and a few footsteps, the door opened. There was Gray with a hat. He looked down at Claire and Claire looked up at him. For a few moments, Claire had forgotten what she'd come up for. And then, she remembered!

"Hiya!" Claire said, "Why aren't you guys downstairs?"

Gray was surprised at the ease with which Claire talked to him. He muttered a reply, but Claire couldn't hear it. The, Cliff came to the door.

"Hey Claire." Cliff said with a smile, "We don't normally go downstairs." Claire crossed her arms and pouted.

"Well... I don't normally go downstairs, but I'm there.. well... I was! You guys should come.. just for tonight?" Claire questioned. When they didn't answer, Claire huffed, "Well.. at any rate, I think I'll need some help back down the stairs." Cliff laughed, and Gray smiled, something he rarely did anymore. And so, they headed off for downstairs Claire's arms linked with Cliff's and Gray's as they went downstairs to have a fun night.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to R&R!


	10. Chapter 10: A Night to Remember?

Disclaimer: There's a time in every person's life when they have to admit that they are a pawn in someone else's game. These character's aren't mine. But that is the moment to seize the game board and say, this is my life and I'm taking it back.

* * *

Claire woke up with a slamming headache, like somebody who hated her was hitting her head with a hammer. She pulled the blankets over her head, but the headache wouldn't go away. Claire groaned and curled herself into the fetal position. She felt gross, and sick. She squeezed her eyes and sat up in her bed with some difficulty, the alcohol she had consumed making her muscles stiff. Claire stretched throwing the blanket off of herself wincing, and then she looked around. She was in the second of four beds. Karen was sound asleep in the bed next to her looking like the bride of Frankenstein had styled her hair. Claire rubbed her eyes and then her temples, wondering what had happened.

Last night was a complete blur. She remembered taking Gray and Cliff downstairs. Karen had ordered six more drinks, and all of the young people came to sit at the bar. Most of the regulars left soon after, which left Karen, Ann, Cliff, Gray, Rick, and herself. Apparently Rick hadn't wanted to leave. They all sat, talked, and drank. Claire was introduced to Ann, and they seemed to get along pretty well. After drinking.. she didn't remember much. She remembered everyone getting mad at Rick one time or another. She remembered Ann's friendly smile and laugh. There was a loud snore in the corner of the room. Claire looked over to see that it was Ann, completely knocked out in the very last bed. Claire shook her head. What happened last night?

Well, after most of the regulars had left, Doug went into the back room and let the six of them talk, drink, and have fun. Claire remembered laughing. She remembered taking off Gray's hat, and seeing his goofy smile emerge. She remembered braiding Cliff's hair to match Ann's. She remembered Karen pushing Rick away multiple times.. but it was all a blur. She faintly remembered going upstairs with someone arm in arm, giggling all the way up. She remembered... Claire's eyes widened. She felt the hands on her back going down and pulling her closer. She remembered wrapping her arms around somebody's neck and.. she made-out with somebody last night. She couldn't remember who... Was this normal for Karen and Ann? She couldn't think so. She thought she was safe, she didn't remember going all the way.. Even drunk she had a strict no sleeping with anyone who wasn't her husband policy.

Claire looked around the room. Karen was out cold, and so was Ann. Claire looked at the clock... 6:30 AM. That meant breakfast was in half an hour... and she and Karen needed to get home before Sasha woke up to catch them sneaking in looking like a mess. Claire unsteadily got out of bed and shook her head. Her hair was still in the low bun at the right side of her head. Claire removed the hair tie and put it around her wrist. Her head still felt a little heavier than usual. Putting one foot in front of the other, she slowly resumed walking normally as she went to wake Karen up.

"Karen." Claire said, shaking Karen to wake her up, "It's 6:30... we eat at your house at 7:00." When she didn't respond, Claire shook her a little harder. Claire's arms were tired, and frankly, she just wanted to get breakfast over with so she could sleep some more. She was astonished she was able to get up at all. Was her internal alarm clock already set? Karen stirred and then opened her eyes after a few more shakes. "Karen, come on, we have to go..!" Karen sat up and rubbed her eyes. There was a glass of water by her bed. She drank it and stretched like she was ready for the day. Claire couldn't believe it. How could she recover so quickly! It would take Claire days to get all of the lactic acid out of her muscles.

"Ready to go?" Karen mumbled. Her makeup was worn away and her clothes were wrinkled. Claire looked down at herself and realized she was about the same. She just hoped her hair didn't look as bad. "Let's go." Karen said, standing up, giggling at Claire's appearance. Claire thought she was still a little drunk, so she let it pass. Karen steadied herself and then went over to the mirror by the door. Claire followed, but put her hand on the door knob and opened so she and Karen could leave.

Right in front of the doorway just about to knock was Gray. He was shocked that the door opened. His eyes widened and he stiffened up. Claire looked up at him expectantly. Gray opened his mouth to say something, but he just turned red. He couldn't say it. Claire stood there for a moment or two before asking the question.

"Did you need something?" Claire questioned. Karen giggled by the mirror. Gray nodded, his cheeks red. Then he reached out, and grabbed his baseball cap from off of Claire's head. Claire's eyes widened and her cheeks lit on fire. Had she been wearing that the whole time? She hadn't even noticed. Gray put his cap back on, tilted it towards her and then hurried back to his room, closing the door behind him. Claire looked towards Karen who was now almost about to collapse from laughter. Claire was mortified. She only remembered taking Gray's hat off, not putting it on herself. What did it mean? Did she just black out after she and Gray kissed? What did she really do?

"L-let's go." Claire said. This time she was the one leading Karen away from the bar.

* * *

Well, her life certainly was turning out differently than the one she'd lived in the city. It was another bright sunny day in Mineral Town. Birds sang in the trees and in every house, people were waking up to partake of their morning meal. Well, most of them. Claire and Karen sat in the back room of the Market like guilty children, silently eating their breakfast. They had managed to get changed before Sasha and Jeff woke up, and silently sat at the table, talking themselves out of the sour moods that usually came with a hangover. They both managed to succeed and hide their massive headaches during the whole breakfast hour. They knew they were clear for now, but it was only a matter of time before word got around... Claire just hoped it didn't reach Manna.

Breakfast was as good as yesterday's and the talk was just as fun. The only difference was Sasha's suspicious looks over at Karen every once in awhile. So, after breakfast, Claire headed home. Her leg muscles were stiff from the work and the drinking, and Claire found herself wondering how many braincells she'd managed to drink away. The club scene in the city had been much different. You got all dolled up and danced all night, drinking only a few drinks unless you were asking to get kidnapped or worse. Here, there was no worry. If you drank too much, you ended up where you passed out, or in a bed nearby. It was fun, with little consequence, especially since Claire lived on her own. Despite this thinking, Claire resolved to only drink one drink a night from then on.

As Claire reached her farm, she heard Desmond pawing at the door, wanting to be let out. She walked as quickly as she could and opened the door, Desmond bounding out like usual to find a place to do his business before he burst. Claire looked inside her home and was surprised to find a little note on the table. She picked it up and read it in the light that the door let into the tiny house.

'Thanks for last night. You were probably too drunk to remember, but you stood up for me. I think you were the only one who didn't get mad at me. Even though I don't think it will get me any closer to Karen, thanks.' It was signed by Rick. So, he hadn't been drunk. Maybe he was the only one who stayed sober. She didn't remember him leaving early... maybe she could ask him what all happened last night. She really needed to know. After she put the note in her bookcase, Claire looked over at her bed, wanting to just go to sleep and forget everything. She was so tempted... but she knew she had to do other things. She had a responsibility now! She had to take care of her crops and scavenge for lunch and for money. Even though her bed looked comfortable, Claire decided to go to work like the rest of the town.

So, Claire found the strength to water her crops and not collapse in her bed. After she was finished, the work getting easier every day, Claire took a walk up to the Chicken Farm. It was a short walk, maybe ten minutes at most at the slow pace she was going. The sun was still high in the sky, and Claire's headache started to cease. Though her muscles still begged for relief, she started to feel better. She turned the corner and saw the Blacksmith sign on her left. Her cheeks turned red and she walked swiftly past it, even though she knew nobody was inside yet. Claire saw the entrance to the Chicken Farm and was relieved to see Rick watching over the chickens outside, away from anybody else. It gave her time to talk about what happened without any listening ears.

"Hey Rick!" Claire said, walking over to him. It took her a minute, but she got there. She was sore it was true, but she had bigger fish to fry than relaxing. Rick smiled lightly when she came over. "I got your note... and yes, I was too drunk to remember." Claire admitted. "I... don't really remember anything. But, what I do remember is kind of scary if I don't know it all. Do you remember anything? Could you maybe.. clue me in?" Claire waited for an answer, her heart pounding in her chest.

Rick stayed silent for a minute, and then sighed. He looked at the Chickens one last time, and then walked over to the feeding bin. He took a seat leaning against it, and he motioned for Claire to do the same. Claire followed his example, and looked at him to start explaining.

"Well," Rick started, "It all started when I walked in..."

* * *

Hey, that was Chapter 10! I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to keep reading and reviewing!


	11. Chapter 11: The Level Headed Drunk

Disclaimer: These here characters aren't mine and won't be no how.

* * *

"When I came in the bar, I saw Karen rush you upstairs. I was a little mad. I know she's been trying to get rid of me, and I got a little carried away, so I decided to stay no matter what. I told Karen that I wasn't going to leave until she got somewhere safely asleep. I know how she gets. She got mad, of course, and decided she'd try to scare me away. I just sat next to your spot and waited. Ann joined us next, nobody needing anymore drinks. We started talking. Then you came downstairs, arm in arm with Cliff and Gray. You all seemed to be having fun, and Ann asked me about you. She didn't really wait for an answer, she introduced herself right away Cliff and Gray stayed with you guys and eventually we all sat down and started talking. Karen just kept ordering drinks for everyone but me, and persuaded everyone to drink.

It wasn't too long before all of you were completely drunk. You were laughing over little things that weren't funny. You took off Gray's hat and he blushed big time. He hates his hair, but since you seemed to like it, he smiled and allowed himself to laugh for awhile. He took it back and left it off. We played spin the bottle, hug edition because I told Karen she needed to tone it down. Karen got mad at me, but you said it was probably a good idea so that none of us got into trouble. Then you smiled at me and nodded like you would try not to let anyone murder me. It was nice to see one sensible person, even if you were drunk. Ann and Karen were both all over Cliff, snuggling and holding him like a teddy bear. He felt pretty good about that, but it was obvious he was more curious about you. He asked you to come sit on his lap because he was Santa Clause, but I spared you the trouble and pointed out that Santa Clause had a white beard and red clothes. You nodded and then shrugged, saying that you knew he wasn't Santa Clause anymore. Then Cliff glared at me, but you said thanks and you stuck your tongue out at Cliff. Cliff was able to laugh it off after that.

So, you guys drank even more. Gray had put his hat on you because you said you liked hats. You hugged him and said that it was the nicest thing anybody had ever done for you. Karen lost interest in Cliff and came over to me. She sat on my lap and started kissing my neck before she passed out. It's happened before. So, I took her upstairs and put her in the first bed. I came back downstairs and you and Ann were playing patty-cake. Cliff and Gray were playing rock paper scissors for the last drink on the table, but I think they were too drunk and always landed on rock. You and Ann stopped playing and went over to the boys. You put Gray's hat back on his head and you and Ann headed upstairs. I made sure you two were in bed and then stayed up with the guys. You came back downstairs, saying that you couldn't sleep. You sat between Cliff and Gray and across from me and started talking about how you had never had this much fun in the city. We were all listening to how different the city was compared to the town. Finally, you looked at the time and said that it was time to go to bed. You fell asleep in your chair. I got up to take you upstairs, but Cliff shook you awake. You woke up and said you were tired. Cliff passed out in his own chair and I had to take him upstairs, which wasn't easy. I told Gray to take you upstairs. After I was done putting Cliff in a bed, I walked out and you were both laying on the floor asleep. You had Gray's hat on and were holding him like a Koala bear holds onto a tree. He was asleep, but he was smiling. I dragged him to the boy's room and put him to bed, and I carried you to your room. I guess I forgot to take the hat off. But, you were all asleep and it was five in the morning, so I ran home and got in bed for an hour before I had to take care of the chickens, and now I'm talking to you."

Claire put her head down in her knees and took it all in. So, she was semi-sensible when drunk... it was a little reassuring, but not really. She put her arms over her head and groaned. What a way to start the first week of the rest of her life. Finally, she lifted her head and looked over at Rick with a small smile.

"Thanks." Claire said, "I really appreciate it. Thanks for staying to make sure we didn't do anything too stupid." Claire shook Rick's hand and smiled. He smiled back. Claire got up and looked around. She turned to Rick, offering him a hand up.

"You know, this would be a great time to teach me about how to take care of chickens. You know, if you have time." Rick laughed.

"Yeah! I suppose I could!"

* * *

After Rick had gone over what chickens ate and that you had to hold them every day to show affection, he went over how to take care of a sick chicken.

"When a chicken is unhappy for too long, it will get sick." Rick said. Claire scratched her head.

"Chickens can be unhappy?" Claire questioned, "How do you know?" Rick thought about it for a minute before crossing his arms.

"You just know. After awhile, you'll get it. But some tell tale signs are when it isn't looking as lively as the other chickens, or when it's avoiding you or a group of chickens. If it doesn't move at all, it's sick. It will look tired, and it won't make any noise. If that ever happens, you have to give it medicine right away. If you don't give it medicine, it will die eventually." Claire looked at the chickens carefully.

"Yours are all happy." Claire said with a smile, "If I'm not sure about something, could I come up and ask you?"

"Yeah! Definitely." Rick said. Claire shook his hand. Then Rick smiled and handed her an egg. Claire looked at it. It felt warm in her hand. She looked up, puzzled. "It's an egg." Rick said, "If you put it on your incubator, you should have a chick in a couple days." Claire gasped.

"My very own chicken!" Claire said. She threw her arms around Rick, being careful about the egg, "Thank you!" Rick patted her back, obviously uncomfortable. Claire smiled and waved goodbye, being careful with the egg. Things were already looking up. Now she was half a day smarter, she would use the knowledge wisely.

Claire went to her farm and immediately put the egg in the incubator. As soon as she put it there, she got excited. She was really going to do this! She was going to become a female farmer and live the rest of her life here. She could have fun, meet new people, make friends, make a family, be a legend. With that tiny little egg in her incubator, Claire's journey took a turn for the legendary. She would do all of these things, and more. She would climb a mountain in a storm, she would find an immortal flower, reunite a family, give a sense of purpose to many, and even meet the Harvest Goddess. As Claire left her Chicken Coop and went to scavenge, she had no idea how legendary she would actually become. But first, there was a lot of growing that needed to be done. It started with one tiny egg.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this Chapter! Don't forget to Read and review!


End file.
